Permutation lock



March 27, 1951 s. FENARI 2,546,182

PERMUTATION LOCK Filed Sept. 25, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

S UK R U FENARI BY M ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERMUTATION LOCK Siikrii Fenari, New York, N. Y., assignor of fifty per cent to Vahdi Sabit Application September 25, 1947, Serial No. 776,118

the provision of a comparatively simple locking mechanism having parts easily constructed by die casting or the like to thereby reduce the cost of manufacture of a mechanism suitable for incorporation in a large variety of locking mechanisms.

Another object is to provide a lock of the character described in which the combination can be changed without taking the lock apart and without tools.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein, by way of illustration, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described. It will be understood however, that these descriptions are merely illustrative and are not limitative of the invention, which is as defined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a lock embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lock, Figure 1, with the operating parts in locked position;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3, Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the operating parts in unlocked position;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5, Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of an alternate form of lock embodying the invention; and

Figure 7 is a front view of the lock, Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 2, the numeral It] denotes one end of the lock casing to which the shackle I I is swingably secured at I2 so that the shackle can be revolved or swing into and out of engagement with the locking pin or bolt I3 which enters an aperture I4 in the free end of the shackle. When pin 53 is extended as shown in Figure 2, the shackle is looked to the casing; when pin !3 is retracted as shown in Figure 4, the shackle is free to turn and the lock is open.

Members I5, [6 are secured by screws or rivets l! to the end member In and form a fixed support for one or more pairs of concentric members, each pair of which comprises a ring I8 having a plurality of pockets 0 to 9 inclusive in its inner circumferential face. These rings may also have a peripheral flange I9 extending outwardly from its outer circumferential face.

The second member of each pair is a sleeve or bushing 26 which fits within ring I3 which is supported thereon. Sleeve 20 is rotatably supported by members I5, I6.

Each sleeve has an aperture 2! extending from the bore to the outer face thereof and a pin 22 is freely siidable in said aperture. The length of pin 22 is such that normally, where the parts are in locked position as shown in Figure 3, the

pin rotatably locks the ring I8 and sleeve 28 together. When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5, the pins 22 may fall by gravity so that they no longer engage the rings I8 but lie below the outer periphery of the sleeves 2B.

A looking bar 23 extends across the lock and is slidably supported between the members I5, It. This bar has its ends notched or otherwise shaped to engage the arms 24, 25 of the means for moving bar 23. This means may comprise the upright members 28, 2'! which are riveted or otherwise secured to the member 28 which extends below the lock as shown.

The upper end of member 26 either forms the locking pin I3 or is operatively connected thereto in any suitable manner.

Springs 29, 29 surround the members 28, 2'! and bear against the member 28 tending to force same outwardly for a purpose to be presently described.

The lock is assembled by sliding the member 2'! carrying spring 29 thereon into the recess provided therefor in the end of member it and then securing the members I5, I6 to It by the screws or rivets I'I. Ifhe bar 23 is placed between members I5 and I6 before securing these members in place. The pins 22 are placed in sleeves 28 and the sleeves are assembled in the rings I8. Each pair of rings and sleeves is slipped over the members i5, I6, but a spacer 30 having a lower forked end 3i is placed between each ring as shown.

The end 32 of the casing carrying bolt I3 and member 26 is now placed against the exposed end of the mechanism assembly just described and is secured thereto by the pins or screws I'I. One of the springs 29, as shown in Figure 2, surrounds the member 26 similarly to the spring 29 on the member 21. These springs are compressed when the bar member 28 is pressed upwardly, said member being secured to the uprights 2G, 21. Thus, all the working parts are enclosed, the outer appearance of the lock being as shown in Figure 1.

It will be observed that the rings I8 have on their outer faces suitable indicia such as the num- 3 her to 9 which relate to pockets ii to 9 within the ring, as best seen in Figure 3.

To set the combination, assuming the number 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 is chosen (Or any other number), the rings [8 are rotated until all the 0s line up with the setting marks 33 on the casing. This will bring the interior slots 3% in the sleeves 28 in line with the locking bar 23. A slight pull outwardly onthe; member .28 will now-via the uprights 26, 21 pull the locking bar 23 downwards into the position shown in Figure 5, where said member is lightly held by springs 29, 29 and lies in the forks 3| of the spacers 3@.

This operation withdraws the locking pin or bolt I3 from the socket Hi in'the shackle. H and permits the latter to be swung about its :pivot l2 and the lock is open.

To look, the shackle is swung inwardly, the member 28 is pressed inwardly and the-rings [8 are moved haphazardly off the 0, 0, 0, O, 0 combination. As the member 28 is pressed inward- .ly, the bolt l3 engages the socket Hi and shackle II is locked to the casing, the rings 18 and associated mechanism being in the locked position shown in Figure 3.

To change the combination, the lock is unlocked as previously described and while the shackle II is open and the mechanism is in the position shown in Figure 5, the rings l3 are revolved to set up the desired new combination, say .1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 'The' shackle is closed by pressing the member 28 inwardly, thereby locking the look as previously described, and. thereafter the look can only be opened by the l, 2, 3, e, 5 combination. Thus the combination can be changed to any combination of figures obtainable by five digits and without opening the lock casing or changing the mechanism in any Way.

While a padlock has been shown and described in connectionwith the preceding figures, it will be obvious that the mechanism disclosed can be employed in any desired type of mechanism wherein apin or bolt such as i3 is employed to lock the lock per so.

As an example of such a modification, reference is madeto Figures 6 and 7 wherein the .mechanism shown in Figures 1 to 5 is shown as incorporated into a knob lock. Here the rings [8 .and their associated mechanism is mounted in the door knob 35'which is revolvably mounted on the door 39 in the usual manner. The combination mechanism is generally denoted by the numeral 36. The member 37 corresponds to the -memb.er 28 of Figures 1 to 5 and operates in the samemanner. The bolt members l3, iSa are controlled the same as described in connection with the single bolt member I3, Figures 1 to 5 andengage aplate 38 secured to the door 39. In the locked position ShOWn in Figure 5 the knob 35 cannot be turned to operate the usual latch or look spindle 40, but upon the withdrawal of bolts l3, |3a from plate 38, the knob 35 may be operated in the usual manner.

Obviously a bolt l3 or two bolts l3, l3a can be combined with a wide variety of locking mechanisms to control same; the invention herein dis- .closed is not therefore limited to any particular form of lock such as the padlock and knob lock described, but may be applied to any form of looking device wherein a combination or permutation lock-controlling mechanism is desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In ,a look, a fiat ring, having a plurality of radially disposed pockets extending inwardly from the inner face thereof, a sleeve withinsaid :may revolve, a locking bar extending through 'said'sleeveand movable ina plane perpendicular to the axis thereof and engaging the inner end of said pin therein, means connected to said bar for moving same in said plane to permit said pin to fall out of said pocket in said ring and a locking' bolt connected to and movable with said bar.

2. The lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are ,a plurality of said rings and sleeves and wherein said fixed support includes end members laterally adjacent said rings and sleeves and said locking bar is slidably supported in said end 'members and said bolt extends freely from one of said members.

3. The look as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixed support includes end members laterally adjacent said rings and sleeves, spacers having forked lower ends, said spacers being located between said rings and embracing said fixed support and wherein said means includes a memslidably engaging said forked ends of said spacers and extending across the outer faces of said rings.

4.. In a look, a plurality of pairs of concentric members, the first member of each pair comprising a ring havingpockets in its inner circumferential face and-a peripheral flange extending outwardly from its outer circumferential face, the second member of each pair comprising a sleeve having a movable pin therein, the outer end of said pin normally lying within one of said pockets in said ringywhereby the ring and sleeve are revolvably secured together, a casing for said lock including a fixed support upon Which said pair of members are revolvably mounted, a looking bar extending through all saidmembers and movably mounted on said support, said bar normally engaging the inner ends of said pin to hold same in ring-engaging positionyand manually operable means mounted on said casing and operatively connected to said locking bar to move the latter away from said pins in a plane perpendicular to the axes of said pins to permit said pins to fall out of the pockets in said rings and thereby release said rings from-said sleeves so that same are independently movable.

5. The lock as claimed in claim 4 wherein said sleeves have pockets extending outwardly from the bores thereof and said locking bar may be moved into and out of said-pockets when same is aligned therewith.

6. In a lock, a sleeve,,a ring mounted upon said sleeve and revolvable thereabout, locking means including a pin extending between said sleeve and said ring and adapted to lock same together whereby the sleeve may be revolved by revolving the ring, a support for said sleeve, a member extending into said sleeve and, adapted to contact said pin to move same longitudinally to cause same to engage said 'sleeveand ring, a locking bolt operatively connected" to said member, and manually operable means connected to said memher and adapted when moved in one direction to cause said member :to contact saidlockingmeans while movingsaid bolt to locking-position and when moved in another direction to disable-said locking means and move said bolt to unlocked position.

7. The look as claimed in claim 6 wherein a spring is associated with said manually operable means and tends to move same in a direction to move said bolt to unlocked position.

8. A lock having a plurality of axially aligned sleeves, each of said sleeves having a radially disposed opening extending from the bore to the periphery thereof, a plurality of rings each having a plurality of open pockets formed in its inner face, one of said rings being revolvably mounted on each of said sleeves, a plurality of pins one in each of said radially disposed openings in said sleeves and normally lying within said openings,

a member extending through the bores of said sleeves and adapted to be moved perpendicular to the axes of said bores to engage said pins and move each pin outwardly to enter a pocket in the ring on the respective sleeve when a pocket is in alignment with each pin, and manually operable means located outside the projected diameter of said rings in engagement with said memher for moving the same.

siiKRii FENARI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

